title: Identification of a Caenorhabditis elegans Delta6-fatty-acid-desaturase by heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: We identified a cDNA expressed sequence tag from an animal (the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans) that showed weak similarity to a higher-plant microsomal Delta6-desaturase. A full-length cDNA clone was isolated and expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This demonstrated that the protein encoded by the C. elegans cDNA was that of a fatty acid Delta6-desaturase, as determined by the accumulation of gamma-linolenic acid. The C. elegans Delta6-desaturase contained an N-terminalcytochrome b5 domain, indicating that it had a similar structure to that of the higher-plant Delta6-desaturase. The C. elegans Delta6-desaturase mapped to cosmid W08D2, a region of chromosome III. This is the first example of a Delta6-desaturase isolated from an animal and also the first example of an animal desaturase containing a cytochrome b5 domain.
authors.affiliation: IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Long Ashton, Bristol BS18 9AF, U.K.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Napier
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hey
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Shewry
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry; D016208:Databases, Factual; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D016324:Sequence Tagged Sites
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase